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David D. Anderson

Indianapolis, IN | Distinguished Ag Alumni: 2010

Seeds are like computers—no one
wants to buy last year’s laptop. To stay
competitive, Dow AgroSciences relies on
David Anderson and his team to project what
growers will want in the next growing season
and to have it ready to meet the demand.
“Sometimes it’s a little like guessing what
the next Tickle Me Elmo toy will be 18
months before Christmas,” Anderson says.
Once corporate direction is set,
Anderson turns strategy into action. A
member of the company’s Global Operations
Team, he directs the planning and supply
process, growing field operations,
production, processing, and distribution.
He is responsible for significant budgets
and a sizable workforce globally, and his
job involves regular travel to South America,
Mexico, and Europe.
“One thing that stands out in my mind is
going to a remote place in Brazil, 20 miles
down a dirt road from a paved road, and
appreciating the scope of agriculture,” he
says. “It was a good opportunity to think
about the systems we have in place to
organize and manage something that’s
so spread out.”
Throughout his career, Anderson has
used his approachable style to build
effective teams and programs that have
improved worker safety and job
satisfaction; improved operational
processes and efficiencies; and advanced
seed production technologies and seed
quality standards for canola, corn,
sorghum, soybean, sunflower, and wheat
on a global scale.
Mentoring has been a key component of
his influence in the industry. He crosses
departments or organizations to find
curious, energetic people and then helps
them maximize their strengths. One
colleague who drove around South
America with Anderson for a week
concluded, “You’re a control freak, but
you’re not a micromanager.”
Anderson’s interest in seeds germinated
on his family’s farm in Montgomery County,
Indiana. When he’s not on the job, he
enjoys time with his wife, Marisa, and three
children ages 7 to 14—and he is an avid
Purdue sports fan.
“I had a lot of interaction with the people at Purdue University
through 4-H, FFA, and family. Then, as president of the
Purdue Foundation Student Board and freshman class
president–Purdue Student Association, I had
opportunities to further develop leadership skills.”